The Executive Chairman of Ado Local Government Area, Engr. Sunny Oche, has embarked on a routine but strategic inspection of abandoned and moribund earth-moving equipment located within the Council Secretariat, as part of ongoing efforts to reposition the Local Government as a functional, service-driven, and adequately equipped tier of government.
During the inspection, the Chairman examined long-abandoned Caterpillar earth-moving machinery belonging to the Council, with a view to assessing its technical condition and exploring cost-effective rehabilitation and recommissioning options. Engr. Oche expressed concern over the prolonged neglect of valuable public assets, describing the situation as a clear deviation from acceptable asset management and maintenance standards within public service administration. He consequently directed the Department of Works and other relevant units to institutionalise preventive maintenance culture and enforce periodic asset audits across all departments to ensure optimal lifespan, accountability, and value-for-money utilisation of government property. According to him, effective asset management is critical to enhancing operational efficiency and improving the ease of doing business at the Local Government level.
Recalling achievements recorded within his first one hundred days in office, the Chairman referenced the successful recovery of a missing Council-owned tractor earlier impounded in Guma Local Government Area due to contractual breaches and negligence by its handler. He disclosed that the recovery process involved administrative interrogation and enforcement of outstanding remittances due to the Council. The tractor has since been fully rehabilitated and deployed for service delivery. In furtherance of mechanised capacity expansion, the Chairman facilitated the provision of an additional tractor, thereby increasing the numbers of functional tractors in the Local Government Area to two.
Similarly, Engr. Oche highlighted his inspection and follow-up interventions at the abandoned Star Cement Factory in Igumale, which had earlier been devastated by fire. He noted that his proactive engagement on the matter drew the attention of the Executive Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Rev. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, who subsequently engaged Chinese geologists to conduct an environmental and structural impact assessment of the facility. The ongoing assessment is aimed at determining the feasibility of a comprehensive overhaul and completion of the factory, given its immense potential for large-scale job creation, industrial growth, enhanced commercial activity, and increased Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for both the State and Ado Local Government.
The Chairman further disclosed ongoing reconstruction works at the abandoned Ado Guest House and the Governor’s Lodge at Camp One, Igumale, aimed at restoring their functional and aesthetic value. He also noted the restoration of electricity supply to the Council Secretariat after over fifteen years of blackout, a development that has significantly improved administrative productivity and commercial activities within the Secretariat. In addition, the Secretariat has undergone renovation and furnishing with modern office furniture and work tools to provide a conducive and professional working environment for staff.
Engr. Oche reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the rehabilitation and optimal utilisation of all abandoned Council-owned assets. He further stated that the Council is actively engaging the Benue State Government on the revitalisation of abandoned State-owned facilities within Ado Local Government Area, notably the former Government College, Utonkon. He recalled that the facility has now been converted to a Government Technical College, with reconstruction works already commenced and a projected twelve-month completion timeline. The Chairman reiterated his long-term vision of upgrading the institution into a tertiary institution or an affiliate campus of Benue State University, describing the State Government’s current intervention as a welcome development and a shared victory for collective advocacy efforts.
He also acknowledged earlier engagements with the immediate past Commissioner for Education, Rev. Dr. Frederick Ikyaan, alongside leaders of the Ufia Development Association (UDA), during which a formal appeal was presented for the reconstruction and upgrading of the institution. The Chairman expressed satisfaction that the current Commissioner for Education, Dr. Margaret Adamu Ijaguwa, has sustained the initiative without interruption.
According to the Chairman, the cumulative impact of these interventions reflects a deliberate and calculated governance approach aimed at restoring public confidence, strengthening institutional capacity, and aligning Ado Local Government with the infrastructural transformation agenda of the Benue State Government. He commended Governor Alia’s development-driven leadership and reaffirmed Ado Local Government’s readiness to complement the State’s vision of inclusive growth, infrastructural renewal, and grassroots development.
Signed,
Innocent Igelle cLMiH, mPPSN, MCAI
Principal Private Secretary To The Chairman; juliovirgo@gmail.com, 08065365371
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